Grain-elevator.



PATENTED APRQ16, 1907.

T F. HALL, GRAIN ELEVATOR. APPLIOATIO H PHIED MAB-.12, 1906.

iiiiremrea k yam 75m m m 6 M THOMAS F. HALL, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

GRAlN-ELEVATOR- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aprii 16, 1907.

Application filed March 12, 1906. Serial No- 305,523.

To (II/ZZ/ whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I, THoMAs F. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for elevating grain and similar substances from a receiving-point to a storage bin or bins; and.

the object of the invention is the production of improved means for preventing clogging or choking in such apparatus.

The accompanying drawing is a somewhat diagrammatic representation in fragmental vertical section of a grain-elevator embodying the features of my invention.

Said elevator comprises the tower 1, the pit 2, and a receiving grain-bin 3. The corn veyer mechanism 4 for the elevator comprises an endless belt 5, carrying grain-cups 6 and running over the drive-pulley 7, rotatably mounted in the elevator-tower 1, a pulley 8 in an elevator-boot 9, located in the pit 2, and a guide-roller 10. As shown in the drawing, the conveyer is so arranged that the ascending side of the belt 5 is inclined. The descending side of the belt'5 is inclosed within the elevator-leg 11 and the ascending side of said belt within an inclined elevator-leg 12, both of said legs being attached at their lower ends to the elevator-boot 9. The receiving grain-bin 3 communicates with the elevator-boot 9 by means of a dischargespout 13, said spout being arranged to be closed by a gate 14, controlled from any convenient point, as the working floor 15 of the elevator, by means of an operating-rod 16.

As is well known, a flowing mass of granular material comes to rest with its upper surface at an angle with the horizontal, said angle being termed the angle of repose, and the flow of such material from a receptacle may be suspended by raising the upper surface of the issuing stream to or above said angle. I employ this principle for regulating the flow of grain from the receiving-bin 3 to the elevator-boot 9 by providing means for returning the overflow from the conveyercups to the inflowing stream of grain. As herein shown, said flow-regulating means comprises a relief-chamber 17, located between the receiving-bin 3 and the elevatorboot 9. Said relief-chamber communicates at its upper end with the lower end of the inclined leg 12 and at its lower portion with the boot 9 adjacent to the outlet from the grainbin 3. A barrier 18 extends horizontally across the relief-chamber 17 adjacent to the path of the rising grain-cups 6.

In operation power is applied in any suitable way to operate the conveyer 4, the grain-cups 6 moving down the the elevatorleg 11 through the boot 9 and up the inclined leg 12. -Grain is admitted. to the boot 9 from the receiving-bin 3 by opening the gate 14. As the grain-cups 6 pass through the boot 9 they not only become filled with grain, but also carry upward between them a considerable quantity of the grain. If no means were provided for relieving the conveyer of this excess load, the ascending leg 12 and the boot 9 would soon become choked, causing the conveyer-belt 5 to slip upon its drivepulley 7 and preventing the operation of the elevator. To obviate this difficulty, I provide, as hereinbefore described, a reliefchamber 17 in position to receive the grain spilled from the overfull grain-cups 6, thus preventing the grain from being pumped up into and accumulating in said elevatorleg. Said relief-chamber also serves to regulate theflow of grain from the grain-bin 3 by returning the grain from the overflowing 1 chamber 17 being nearer to the boot 9 than that within the bin 3 is the first to be returned to the boot 9, the flow from the bin 3 not I claim as my invention 1. In a grain-elevator, in combination, an inclined conveyer; and means extending along said conveyer at the under side thereof for conducting gthe overflow away from the conveyer.

2. In a grain-elevator, in combination, an inclined conveyer; a grain-spout,- and a relief-chamber between said grain-spout and the lower end of said conveyer.

3. In a grain-elevator, in combination, an inclined conveyer; an inclined elevator-leg inclosing said conveyer a grain-spout and a relief-chamber between said grain-spout and the lower end of said elevator-leg.

4. In a grain-elevator, in combination, an inclined conveyer; a grain-spoutja barrier adjacent to the path of the conveyer-cups and between said cups and the discharge end of the gra1n-spout and means for conducting the overflow from the ascending conveyercups to the space between said grain-spout and said barrier.

5 In a grain-elevator, in combination, an incllned oonveyer; an inclined leg inclosing said conveyer; a grain-spout; a barrier adjacent to the path of the conveyer-cups and a relief-chamber communicating with the lower end of said inclined leg and with the space in front of the discharge end of said grain-spout.

THOMAS F. HALL.

I/Vitnesses ALroE MOSHANE, KORINN SAMUELSON. 

